Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus that divides and processes an image signal, a control method thereof, and a storage medium.
Description of the Related Art
In recent image capturing apparatuses such as digital cameras, more pixels in image sensors and high framerates in moving pictures have led to increases in the amounts of data in image signals output from the image sensors. This in turn has led to an increase in the amount of processing carried out by image processors that process the image signals.
An increase in the data amount may mean that a single image processor lacks sufficient processing capabilities. Accordingly, a technique for operating a plurality of image processors in parallel to distribute the load amongst the image processors is known (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2016-10112). Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2016-10112 discloses a technique in which, in a plurality of image processors connected to each other, a processing percentage is determined in accordance with division control information indicating an internal temperature of each processor, a data transfer rate of an internal bus, and so on. Data divided according to that percentage is then processed by the respective processors.
Incidentally, in the case where image signals obtained by dividing an image into top and bottom parts are each subjected to a filtering process or the like by separate processors, to process the vicinity of the division boundary, data from regions passing the boundary (the other area obtained by the division) may be necessary. With respect to this point, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2016-10112 does not take into account how to handle the division of data in a region that passes a boundary (for example, data required by both of two processors). When dividing data for each of the processors, it is conceivable to take into account the data, required by each of the processors, that passes the boundary, and divide the data such that an extra region is provided. However, the greater the data amount becomes, the greater the data amount of the extra region will become as well, causing the processors to take more time for processing and consume more power. What is needed, therefore, is a technique for reducing the amount of data processed by each image processor when the processing of a single image is divided among a plurality of image processors (processing units).